Control for water softening apparatus



p 4, 1954 L. G. LINDSAY 2,689,006

CONTROL FOR IATERYSQFTENING APPARATUS I Original Filed Oct. 2. 1948 2 /6 20 /74 I mmvron. *r 5 9 13 wax) ,4 TOP/VF) pater ited 14, 1954 CONTROL FOR WATER. SOITENING APPARATUS Lynn G. Lindsay, St. Paul, Minn, minor to The Hndsay Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Original application October 2, 194a, Serial No.

52,551, now Patent. No. 2,610,147, dated September 9, 1952.

Divided and this application February 8, 1951, Serial No. 210,273

Claims. 1

This invention relates to controls for valves and particularly to time controls suitable for use in thecontrol of water softeners of the type wherein the water is caused to fiow through a porous body of the water softening material requiring regeneration periodically.

It is an object of my invention to provide a semi-automatic control and timing mechanism of the class described which is unusually reliable and easy to 'adjust'to change the time period during which the valve mechanism is automatically retained in a predetermined position.

A particular object is to provide in association with a valve member which isspring biased to one position and adapted to be manually set in another position, novel and improved latch mechanism adapted to be actuated by clock mechanism to cause the valve member to move to the first mentioned position after the elapse of a predetermined period of time.

Further objects are to provide an inexpensive, compact and efficient control which is particularly; although not exclusively adapted to facili tate the regeneration and flushing of domestic water softeners.

The invention also includes certain other novel features of construction which will appear to be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example and not for the purpose of limitation, a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing my improved timing control valve;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same with a portion of the latch casing broken away; 7 Fig. 3 is a central vertical. sectional view through the timing control valve;

Figs. 4 and 5 are elevational views showing the coacting cam disks for actuating the valve latch mechanism, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, my improved valve has a casing indicated generally by the numeral 1 and ports 8, 9 and ill which communicate respectively with pipes ll, l2 and i3. The port III is connected by passages (not shown) to a chamber It in the casing 1 and the rate of flow through these passages is under control of a manually operable valve Ha.

Spaced annular valve seats i5 and ii are provided in the casing 1 for a valve head i1 which is fixed on a stem Ila and adapted to be moved 2 from closed position in contact with one of these seats to closed position in contact with the other seat. The port 8 opens into a chamber. 18 extending between the valve seats I! and it. Thus when the head 11 is closed against its seat 15 as shown in Fig. 3, flow of liquid from the port 8 to the port 9 and pipe 12 is permitted and flow end thereof and a bearing 2i formed in the casing 1.

Mounted in axial alignment with the valve stem Ila is a plunger 22 having an operating knob 23 on its outer end and carrying a spring 24 in a recess in its inner end. The spring 24 projects to engage the outer face of the head 20 and to transmit thrust to the stem Ila. An annular shoulder 25 is formed on the plunger 22 for engagement with latch mechanism comprising a radially movable detent 20 mounted in a housing 21 carried by the outer end portion of the valve casing 8. The housing 21 is formed with a cylindrical bearing 28 which embraces the casing 1 and is secured thereto by set screws 29 (Fig. 1). A pair of antifriction rollers 30 are carried by the lower end of the detent 26 for rolling engagement with the shoulder 25 on the plunger 22 and with radially extending guide surfaces formed in the housing 21. A guideway 3| is formed in the housing 21 to slidably receive the detent 28.

As shown in Fig. 3, the detent 26 is spring biased outward from the plunger 22 by a spring 32 which is connected at its lower end to the detent and anchored at its upper end to a pin 33 projecting from the housing 21. Carried by the upper end portion of the detent 26 is a small roller 34 (Figs. 3 and 6) which is held in rolling contact with the peripheries of cam disks 35 and 38 which are shown separately in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively.

, These disks are mounted in face to face contact 3 ltse determined by the movement of a pin 19 which projects from the cam disk It in an arcuate slot 40 formed in the disk 35. A recess H is formed in the otherwise circular periphery of the cam disk I! and a recess 42 of somewhat different shape is formed in the otherwise circular periphery of the cam disk 86, both of these recesses being adapted to receive the roller ll carried by the detent 28. A cam surface 42a ex tends at a gradual incline from the inner extremity of the recesses 42 to the outer periphery of the cam disk It for engagement with the roller I4 and to actuate the latter radially outward relative to the cam disks and spindle 31 when it is desired to extend the detent 26 in engagement with the shoulder 25 of the plunger 22.

The clock mechanism in the housing 21 includes a main spring 48 operatively connected to the spindle 21 for winding and having a friction clutch device ll which connects the spring 42 through suitable speed reducing bearing to turn the knob 28 counter-clockwise toward a stop pin 45 at a predetermined, relatively slow rate. The knob a is formed with a pointer which, by reference to a dial and legends on the front face of the housing 21, may be set for the selected time during which the valve head I1 is to be retained in closed relation to its seat ll.

Where my improved time control valve is to be used for a water softener such as that described in Patent No. 2,610,147, granted September 9, 1952, the pipe ll may be connected to the soft water outlet of the tank, the pipe i2 to the service outlets and the pipe it to drain or waste. During water softening, soft water flows from the tank through the pipe ll, port I and port to the service pipe i2, the valve head i'l being closed in relation to its seat It.

When regeneration is required, a charge of salt is placed in the water softening tank and, after closing the tank. the knob 23 of the plunger 22 is thrust inward against the bias of the springs I 9 and 24 to close the valve head i-i against its seat it. The knob ll of the timing mechanism is then turned clockwise to a position where its pointer indicates the time in minutes required for regeneration and flushing. When the knob ll is in its terminal position in contact with a stop pin ll. the roller 34 is in its elevated position within the recesses 4i and 42 in the cam disks 2! and it. The operator by turning the knob 38 clockwise from its zero position causes the cam surface 42 to engage the roller 34 and to actuate this roller downward out of the recesses II and 42 thereby extending the detent 2i downward. Such movement of the knob ll and spindle 31 brings the roller 34 in contact with the circular peripheral surfaces of the cam disks II and It so that the detent 26 is held in its downwardly extended or locked position with respect to the shoulder 25 on the plunger 22. Rotation of the knob 20 and spindle 31 in a clockwise direction also winds the spring 42 of the clock mechanism so that thereafter. through the friction drive, the clock mechanism slowly returns the spindle i1 and knob in a counter-clockwise direction to the initial or zero position. During this operation the circular peripheries of the cam disks 38 and a revolve in contact with the anti-friction roller 24. Any required period for regeneration and flushing may be selected by suitable setting of the pointer on the knob 28 by referenceto the dial and legends thereon.

During regeneration and flushing the valve head I1 is closed against its seat it and the spent aesaoos brine and impurities from the softening material enter the casing I through the port 0 and flow to and through the chamber ii and passages leadingto the waste pipe It.

The valve members remain in the regenerating position until the brine is displaced by clear water whereupon the timing mechanism automatically returns the apparatus to the initial or softening position. The change in the position of the valve head I! takes place automatically when the recesses ll and 42 in the cam disks 3! and It reach a position in alignment with the roller ll so that the roller enters these recesses under the force exerted by the spring 32 as it draws the detent 26 from engagement with the shoulder 28 on the plunger 22. The plunger is thereby released and moves to the position shown in Fig. 3, the spring I! being allowed to expand and to actuate the valve head to open position relative to its seat It and to closed position against its seat I. This stops the flow of liquid to the pipe I! and allows water to flow to the pipe i2 through ports I and 9 and chamber it.

The spring 24 is somewhat stiffer than the spring l9 and is only slightly compressed when the valve head i1 is closed against its seat II.

The spring 24 thus compensates for wear on the valve head l1 and insures firm closing of the head against the seat II.

An important feature of my invention resides in the arrangement of the clock operated spindle 31 in laterally spaced relation to the plunger 22 and the latch mechanism comprising the detent 26 which is movable perpendicularly to the axes of the spindle 31 and plunger 22 in a straight line extending between these axes; This arrangement of latch and operating mechanism is peculiarly compact and simple and results in unusually reliable operation. Such operation is further promoted by the anti-friction rollers 34 and It and by my arrangement whereby the roller 24, throughout the time control period, engages the circular periphery of the cam disks II and I. which are concentric with the operating spindle I]. With this arrangement there is a minimum of resistance to the operation of the clock mechanism and no increase or other variation in such resistance during any part of the cycle of operation.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No. 52,551, filed October 2, 1948, for Control for Water Softening Apparatus, now Patent No. 2,610,147.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. For a valve, an operating plunger and means for actuating said plunger to a first position, a control comprising a detent movable to and from locking relation to said plunger whereby said plunger may be held in a second position and released to said first position, time controlled mechanism having a rotary spindle extending in laterally spaced relation to said plunger, said detent being movable along a straight line extending between the axes of said plunger and spindle, means biasing said detent to plunger release position and cam means projecting from and rotatable with said spindle and disposed to retain said detent in looking relation to the plunger.

2. For a valve, an operating plunger and means for actuating said plunger to a first position, a control comprising a detent movable to and from looking relation to said plunger whereby said plunger may be held in a semnd position and released to said first position. timecontrolled mechanism having a rotary spindle extending in laterally spaced relation .to said plunger, said detent being movable along a straight line extending between the axes of said plunger and spindle, means biasing said detent to plunger release position, an ar. tifriction roller carried by said detent and cam means projecting from and rotatable with said spindle and disposed to make rolling contact with said roller to retain said detent in looking relation to the plunger.

3. For a valve, an operating plunger and spring means for actuating said plunger to a first position, a control comprising a detent movable to and from looking relation to said plunger whereby said plunger may be held in a second position and released to said first position, manually onerable means for actuating said Plunger to said second position against the bias or said spring means, time controlled'inechanism having a 1'0- tary spindle extending in laterally spaced relation to said plunger, said detent being movable along a straight line extending between the axes of said plunger and spindle, means biasing said detent to plunger release position and cam means projecting from and rotatable with said spindle and having a cylindrical surface which is concentric to the axis of said spindle and disposed to support said detent in locking relation to said plunger.

4. For a valve, an operating plunger and means for actuating said plunger to .a first position, a control comprising a detent movable to and from looking relation to said plunger whereby said plunger may be held in a second position and released to said first position. time controlled mechanism having a rotary spindle extending in laterally spaced relation to said plunger, said detent being movable along a straight line extending between the axes of said' plunger and spindle and at right angles to said axes, means biasing said detent to plunger release position and cam means projecting from and rotatable withsaid spindle and having a cylindrical surface which is concentric to the axis 01 said spindle and disposed to support said detent in locking relation to said plunger, said detent having a member disposed in operative contact with said cylindrical surface and said surface being formed with a recess adapted to receive said member to permit the movement of said detent to plunger releasing position.

5. For a valve, an operating plunger and means for actuating said plunger to a first position, a

control comprising a detent movable to and from locking relation to said plunger whereby said plunger may be held in a second position and released to said first position, time controlled mechanism having a rotary spindle extending in laterally spaced relation to said plunger, said detent being movable along a straight line extending between the axes of said plunger and spindle, an antifriction roller carried by said detent, cam means operatively connected to said spindle and having a cylindrical surface concentric with the axis or said spindle disposed to make rolling contact with said roller and to support said detent in looking relation to said plunger, a recess being formed in said cylindrical surface to receive said roller and to permit withdrawal of said detent from looking relation to the plunger and resilient means for biasing said detent toward said cam means. Y

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 109,371 Bailey Nov. 22, 1870 796,635 French Aug. 8, 1905 1,831,605 Porter Nov. 10, 1931 1,993,926 Gauger Mar. 12, 1935 2,167,433 Duflleld July 25, 1939 2,292,801 Slidell Aug. 11, 1942 2,329,350 Kaysen Sept. 14, 1943 2,347,201 Lindsay Apr. 25, 1944 2,347,202 Lindsay Apr. 25, 1944 2,546,695 Macgeorge Mar. 27, 1951 2,551,445 Lindsay et a1. May 1, 1951 2,599,151 Baldwin June 8, 1952 

